by Multiple
“Why not? It’s not like I can see what’s tap-dancing in your naughty little mind. See if it works and then we can figure out how to break the curse.”
Raven liked this idea. Although, he wanted Hemi to put him down so he wasn’t dropped on his ass.
Naked.
She seemed to understand, the thoughtful witch, and turned him around to face her again. “Only if you promise not to attack Darby.”
He didn’t want to promise any such thing.
But he wanted to not be a cat more than he wanted to slice up Darby. He nodded.
Hemi set him down on the floor.
Damnit and Stop That whined as the hum of magick filled the air and suddenly, Raven was a warlock again.
A very naked warlock.
“Trifecta! I knew it.” Darby’s eyes raked over him appreciatively.
This time it was Hemi who clawed and hissed, figuratively. “Hey, that’s my warlock. Find your own.” She shielded him with her body.
“Which one are you?” He peered around Hemi’s shoulder.
“Raven.” He got to his feet and locked Hemi against him, not because he was hiding from Darby. He wasn’t. He needed Hemi’s arousal to keep him in warlock form.
“So who’d you piss off? We can try first to petition the witch who cast the spell to reverse it.”
“It wasn’t me.” Raven sighed. “When Dred married my sister, he bequeathed to me the holiest of holies. His Little Black Book. And when I opened it to a certain section, I was zapped into a cat.”
“Did the curse say anything?”
“It did.” Raven nodded. “It said something about how since I was always chasing pussy, it was going to save me the trouble and I could be pussy.”
Darby snickered. “I’m sorry, that’s just…” he laughed some more.
“Yes, glad my misfortune amuses you,” Raven drawled.
“Wait,” he spluttered, holding his hand up, cackling.
“It’s not that funny,” Hemi added, but giggled.
“It’s just, you’re Raven Cherrywood.”
“Last time I checked.”
This made him laugh harder and with Hemi laughing, he was no longer solid and human. He was a cat again.
Raven hissed, put his tail in the air and walked out of the room, right between the whimpering, gummi hellhounds.
CHAPTER FIVE
Things To Do in Denver When You’re Cursed
After Hemi stopped laughing, she called Sin du Lac. He was her former professor at Academy and Dred Shadowins’ uncle. His specialty was curses. If anyone could break this one, it was Sin.
The first thing out of his mouth when he answered the phone wasn’t a greeting. “If you’re calling me, I’m assuming you ran into some trouble in the cursed section.”
“I didn’t, but a friend of mine did.”
“So tell me all about it.”
“It was a curse meant for your nephew. He gave his Little Black Book to Raven Cherrywood and—”
“He’s a cat, isn’t he? I told Dred no good could come from that book. He should have kept all of that in his head like a gentleman. I’ll be right over. You’re still in the candy cottage?”
“Yeah, and Professor?”
“Yes, Hemi?”
He was so formal. She was really surprised he didn’t just ask what now? “Is there anything you can do for my hellhounds?”
“Let me guess. They ate the candy.”
“They did.”
“Why did you have them in cottage?”
“That’s a long and embarrassing story. But they thought they were protecting me and transported themselves from the library to the cottage.”
“Did it ever occur to you, Hemlock love, that those weren’t real hellhounds, but that they’re cursed, too?” He tsked into the phone. “Hellhounds can’t travel by thought. Even those as devoted as those two mutts.”
There were warlocks under there? Oh Merlin, help them all.
“I’ll be there as soon as I can gather my supplies.”
Hemi hung up the phone and stared at the wobbly creatures. “Are you cursed, too?”
Damnit whined.
“Really? Why didn’t you tell me? I ought to just leave you like this.”
Stop That whimpered.
And Raven had nothing at all to say to that.
“Raven?”
He didn’t even lift his head.
“Come on. I just called Dred’s uncle. He should be able to fix everything.” Although, Hemlock would admit she didn’t want him to fix everything. She liked having Raven here and she wanted him to stay. She wanted to believe that he did want her just the way she was. She wanted to get to know him as a warlock and not just a centerfold. She was thinking she might want forever.
But warlocks like him, the playboys, the ones who even kept a Black Book, they didn’t do forever. They didn’t even do monogamy.
For as good as the sex was, and no matter how much she wanted to do it again, that’s all there was between them. She wasn’t stupid. Hemlock knew she should count herself lucky a warlock like him even wanted to sleep with her.
But she didn’t.
She wanted more and part of her, the part her stepmother silenced when she was young dared to speak. It dared to say not only did she want more, but by gods, she deserved more.
He turned and padded over to her, settled his head in her lap and purred.
Hemi wasn’t sure how long they sat like that, but they stayed there until Sin arrived.
“How’d he get that scar on his face?”
“Hellhounds. It healed immediately, but scarred.”
“Your hellhounds aren’t hounds at all, my dear. I can tell just by looking at them they’re from a tribe of shapeshifters and it seems they were cursed in way similar to Raven.”
At the sound of his name he perked his head.
“This should be rather simple. Since the curse was meant for Dred, one of his blood can break it without fulfilling the context of the curse. And lucky for Raven because this would have been nasty. He would have been cursed into the form of a cat until he loved someone more than himself. Those are rarely broken.” Sin shrugged.
He opened his case and pulled out what seemed to be a travelling chemistry lab. It set itself up, beakers and vials full of this and that fell into every holder. It was like mad scientist couture.
With eye of newt, toe of frog, and some other nasty things, Sin had brewed a hearty concoction that smelled like… beer farts.
Hemlock gagged.
“I know, it’s wretched. But what’s the one thing that sours a romantic evening more? His curse is tied to love and lust. We have to break that.”
“You don’t have to kill us all to do it.”
“No, just give it a moment. It’ll smell like chocolate. I added flavoring. What kind of shoddy warlock do you think I am?”
She didn’t answer.
When it was done, Sin poured it in a bowl for him and some for the hellhounds.
Raven transformed immediately, while the hellhounds whined, shook, and wobbled.
“Oh, this is bad. Hemi, I’m going to take them to my laboratory.”
All Hemi could do was nod. She didn’t even notice when Sin gathered the dogs and disappeared.
Raven was cured, freed of the curse. He could leave now. He didn’t need her.
Even though their Sex Magick had dissipated, she could swear he heard her thoughts because he pulled her into his lap. “There’s my girl. Thank you.” He nuzzled her ear.
“You’re naked,” she whispered.
“You should be.”
“Raven,” she began.
“Don’t want to hear whatever you’re about to say.” He raised a brow. “Unless it’s to say take me bed and do that thing with your tongue. That, I want to hear.”
She couldn’t fight the smile and didn’t want to. “Take me to bed and do that thing with your to
ngue.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He stood and as he did, he swept her up into his arms and carried her toward the bedroom. She could so get used to this.
That was the problem wasn’t it? She could get used it very easily and Hemi wanted to know if it was okay to get used to it, if he was going to be around.
“But,” she started.
“Shit.”
Her heart fluttered and dived for her gut. He didn’t want to have the conversation because he thought if she didn’t like the answer, he wasn’t going to get any action. As if she’d look that gift horse. “Look, no matter how you answer, I’m still going to sleep with you.”
“Witch, why is it you always expect me to respond in the worst possible way?”
She buried her face in his shoulder. She didn’t want to face him or his answer.
He sighed. “I don’t think I’m going to sleep with you.”
Hemi knew it. She just knew it.
“Hey, look at me.” He tilted her face up to his and brushed his lips over hers. “I want to. Don’t ever doubt that. But not until we know each other better.” His eyes fluttered closed. “Oh, I’m fucked. I can’t believe I just said that.”
“Why?”
“Because I think you’re the one for me, Hemi. I always promised myself I’d never be as stupid as my brothers when I found my witch. That I’d know the signs and myself well enough that I won’t step on my dick. It’s not love yet, we don’t know each other, but I think it will be. I want to know you. I’ve never wanted to do that before.”
“Maybe you just want a good friend.”
“Maybe you’re crazy if you think I feel anything as tepid as friendship for you. I can be your friend, and we can do friend things, but after that? I’m going to see just how close to your ears I can get your ankles.”
She laughed.
“And I’m going to fuck you on the back of that Maserati broom, too.”
“You’ve got a lot of plans, Mr. Cherrywood.” They made her warm inside, made her happy. Even when he called it fucking. She didn’t need pretty words, she just wanted him.
“Yes, I do. So we should get started.”
“How do you propose we do that if you’re not going to sleep with me now?” She teased him to avoid the subject.
“A date. Tomorrow night. Let me take you out, like a proper couple.”
“I don’t know—”
“Wait, wait. You’ll ride me like a pony, but you don’t want to be seen in public with me?”
“You’re Raven Cherrywood.” She said as if that would explain everything.
“Well, yeah. And?”
“And you can have any witch you want.”
“And I want you.”
“You better be really sure about that, because remember that part where I told you I’d read the whole cursed section? I wasn’t kidding.”
“I know and I think it’s hotter than hell.”
“There’s something wrong with you, you know that, right?” Suddenly, all of her doubts and insecurities were like ash in the wind. She didn’t know if it was a remnant from the Sex Magick, but there was this knowledge inside of her that every word he spoke was true and binding.
“My mother’s been telling me that all my life. When she wasn’t breaking a spoon on my ass.”
“Were you really that bad?”
“Oh yeah. And a whole lot more.”
“I guess I’m going to find out.” Hemi tilted her face up to kiss him.
CHAPTER SIX
A Family Affair
He was nervous standing outside the candy cottage knocking on her new door. He’d manifested and installed it. After all the times they’d plowed through his sister’s door, he was an old hand at replacing them.
His nervousness wasn’t only because he was bringing her home to meet his mother, but because it was an actual date.
It didn’t matter that he’d been ears deep in her witchy bits. Or knew the sounds she made when she came so hard fireworks actually exploded above her head.
This was different.
This was for keeps.
He knew it was a little early in some relationships to be bringing her home to meet the family, but Raven stuck to his guns. Not to be confused with his brother Cupid’s Love Gun. He swore if he ever met the right witch, he wouldn’t be stupid about it, or deny it and hide from it.
And maybe that’s where he’d outdone his brothers. Both Hawk and Falcon hadn’t gone down without a fight. Hawk still hadn’t admitted he was in love with his woman and he was going to lose her.
Falcon almost lost Drusilla.
Of course, the world almost ended too, so he might have had an excuse.
But not Raven, no. He was doing this right.
When she answered his knock, he was dumbstruck. Hemi wore a modest dress, but it hugged her every curve. It was made out of some diaphanous material that entranced him and made his fingers itch to touch it.
She smiled at him and his dick throbbed in time with the flutter of his heart.
“Do you like it? The filing fairies made it for me.”
“You’re beautiful, Hemi.”
“Would you like to come in before we go?” she asked almost shyly.
Yes. “No. We’ll never make our date if I do.”
“Would that be so bad?”
“If I hadn’t already told my mother we were coming for dinner, it would be fine.”
“Your mother?”
He shifted from foot to foot and stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Yeah. I thought maybe you should know what you’re getting yourself into.”
“Okay.” She exhaled heavily. “What if she hates me?”
“She won’t hate you. She’ll love you. I promise. She’ll probably give you your own spoon to hit me with. But um, we should stop and pick up some carryout. My mother can’t cook to save her life.”
“No wonder she hits you with a spoon, ungrateful child.”
“It’s on her orders.”
“You should have told me. I’m a great cook.”
“Even better.” He wrapped her in his arms and teleported to his mother’s house.
Everyone was there: Falcon and Tally, Hawk and…Raven was an ass because he forgot her name, Middy and Dred, and his mother, beaming bright just like her name, Stardust.
He released Hemi and his mother immediately dragged her into a hug and toward the kitchen. Raven was surprised, but pleased by how right she looked.
Raven had never been one to believe in unicorns farting sunshine and rot like Happily Ever After, but he rather imagined this was how it started.
Even when Stardust did, in fact, hand Hemi her own wooden spoon.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Saranna De Wylde has always been fascinated by things better left in the dark. She wrote her first story after watching The Exorcist at a slumber party. Since then, she's published horror, romance and narrative nonfiction. Like all writers, Saranna has held a variety of jobs, from operations supervisor for an airline, to an assistant for a call girl, to a corrections officer. But like Hemingway said, "Once writing has become your major vice and greatest pleasure, only death can stop it." So she traded in her cuffs for a full-time keyboard. She loves to hear from her readers.
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OTHER BOOKS BY SARANNA DEWYLDE
How To Lose A Demon in 10 Days
How To Marry A Warlock in 10 Days
How To Seduce An Angel in 10 Days
Desperate Housewives of Olympus
Desperate Housewives of Avalon (Read on for an excerpt)
Claimed by the Alpha
Claimed by the Beast
Claimed by the Wolf
The Blood and the Vow
Ride of the Darkyrie
Furyous Ink
Felony Hex
C
oming Soon:
Desperate Housewives of Olympus: ARES (April)
These Scars We Keep
Fat
How To Get A Date With Death in 10 Days
How To Seduce A Gargoyle in 10 Days
Writing As Sara Lunsford
Sweet Hell on Fire: A Memoir
Coming Soon: Sugarplum
Writing as Sara Arden
Return to Glory
Unfaded Glory
Under Fire
Desperate Housewives of Avalon Excerpt
ARTEMIS
“I didn’t wrap your gift,” Aphrodite said around a mouthful of lamb pizza.
Artemis was already wary. First, Aphrodite had invited her out to Pomegranate Pizza and she never dined out on Ambrosia Lane. Even for special occasions like her birthday. She preferred the mortal world and Brooklyn Style pizza to Cyclops-tossed crust. Aphrodite even made her a dark chocolate, caramel, and sea salt birthday cake—with mocha frosting. Aphrodite hated baking.
Artemis was sure this present was going to be a doozy of cataclysmic proportions. “What is it?” Artemis eyed her like she would a Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle, rather than her best friend.
“You’re making that face.” Aphrodite took a drink of her sparkling red wine.
“What face?”
“Like you just stepped in a pile of Kraken poo.”
“Well, they say Love stinks.” Artemis wouldn’t know, she’d never been in love. Although she took great joy in needling the other goddess.
“I do not!” Aphrodite made a big show of raising her arms and sniffing.
“You know what I mean. I adore you, but I’m suspicious of your gifts. I saw what you did to my brother and Nyx. I don’t need any part of that.” No, she didn’t need it, but part of her wanted it. Artemis was tired of being the universe’s oldest virgin.
“That wasn’t me. That was Fate. After the debacle with Ares, I’m not allowed to act in Fate’s stead anymore.” Aphrodite’s mouth tightened.
